My Dog’s Allergic to My Cat
You were expecting a punch line, right? No joke. My Sophie is allergic to the cat. She gets watery eyes and sneezes soon after that cat gets up on the bed, itches like mad and has a new bald spot. Sooo, we went back to the vet today to ask if that was possible and it is. Since Sophie started these symptoms right when the cat decided to move indoors and sleep with us at night, she thought it was pretty likely that Sophie is allergic to the cat.
We’re going to try a few things, including Benadryl for Sophie and frequent grooming for the cat. (Seriously, you can give dogs Benadryl. Don’t do it without consulting your vet and getting dosage instructions, though.) If these things don’t work, I guess the kitty gets locked out of the bedroom.
Sophie adores her and didn’t seem to be bothered when they played outside. I guess containing all of that saliva and dander in one room for 8 hours at night is what pushes the allergy reactions over the edge.
I wish there were a punchline. My dog tested positive for allergies to, among other things, cat dander. He has multiple allergies – to certain foods, grasses, even human dander. It’s not a fun trip.
Jessica - November 18, 2007 8:16 am
My Dog is also allergic to my cat. I did not beleive it when we took him to the vet….but sure enough the vet confirmed it. When it turned a little colder the past few weeks we have allowed the cat to sleep in our room – which is where the dog also sleeps. Every since the cat came in, the dogs eyes were watery and he became very sinus conjested and would itch and sneeze. At first we thought he had a cold or was sick. NOPE – we found out he was illergic to the CAT!!! This big strong 120lb German Shepard illergic to a 8lb cat!
Debra - December 12, 2007 3:08 am
oh whao i didnt think it was possible but i think my puppy is allergic to out cat. my puppy sneezes all the time while were at home. when were anywhere else he doesnt. i thought he had a cold and took him to his vet but the vet said hes in great shape and has no cold. we clean the room frequently and sweep & mop daily i thought it might be dust but i guess its the cat which sucks
Michelle - March 13, 2008 6:34 am
just got a new kitten today cutest little thing in the world found out by 1 am dog wont stop coughing throwing up and has watery eyes 25mg of bene and now he is passed out on the bed laying next to the kiten not coughing not throwing up and all symptoms have vanished my vet recommended 1mg/1lb and sure enough sounds like lucas out half lab half pug is loving the new kitten but maybe having a sneeze or 2 along the way
Steve - October 24, 2009 12:46 pm
I think my new puppy may be allergic to cats as well =( he is a silkie terrier and has been sneezing ever since we bought him home 7 days ago, at first i thought it was a cold but then i realized when he is taken somewhere else (not around cats) he is fine. He also reverse sneezes a lot and im not sure if that has anything to do with allergies. Can someone please help.. im frustrated!!
Christine - November 11, 2009 6:13 am
Our cat of 17 years just recently passed away. We got our dog in 2001 and from the very get go he was allergic to something we couldn’t figure out. Itching and diarhea. Vet gave him steroid shots periodically, that helped for a couple days, and we fed him VERY expensive dog food. Nothing helped. He also stunk like rotting flesh, yuck! Well, since the cats been gone, dog doesn’t itch and doesn’t stick and no more diarhea! Wierd! Poor thing lived like that for 9 years and it was the darn cat!
Shannon - April 27, 2010 6:26 am
My dog is allergic to a lot of things.Immunotherapy is what worked for her. It is amazing. Her life is so much more comfortable now. Shots must be given but it is so simple.
Zoee Glassman - April 30, 2010 1:16 am
Thank you all for your input. I have been wondering for a week now if my 30 lb beagle mix was alergic to my new cat. The dog has the same symptoms, especially the sneezing and for the last 2 days has been isolating herself from the cat by going into a closet. I am going to buy some Benedryl tomorrow after checking with the vet for dosage.
Marijoy - June 16, 2010 7:26 am
My dog is allergic to EVERYTHING, especially grass, so I was very worried about bringing a cat home. The dog is already taking 6 benadryl a day (as instructed by the vet; and no, it doesnt make him the slightest bit tired) for his grass issues, so if he was allergic to Kitty, there’d be no other option but to give kitty up. Luckily, she’s been with us a week and he hasnt shown any signs of an allergy
Amanda - July 13, 2010 6:51 pm
Crazy, isn’t it? Myself and my puppy are also very allergic to our two cats. We get the same symptoms and actually medicate the same. It’s interesting we both get the red watery eyes at the same times, we feel each other’s pain. Then the cats are perfectly aloof, they don’t care about what they’re doing to us
Aside from medicating, I run a robot vacuum (the roomba) regularly to get rid of cat fur and dander on the ground, then I also use the furminator brush on the cats to rid them of their loose undercoat so they shed much less, also gives them a nice shiny coat and minimizes furballs. If you have money to throw at the problem, these products help.
Jill - October 7, 2010 5:08 am
I have a 7 lb Maltese dog. I had her know for two years, I recently adopted two kittens, and I believe my dog is allergic to my kittens. She has been sneezing, coughing and itching a lot. I thought she was sick, so I took her to the vet. The vet took blood test and told me that she was fine. While she was at the vet, she did not cough nor sneeze. As soon as she gets back in the house she starts wheezing, and sneezing. The vet gave me benedryl, but it only works for a short while. I don’t know what to do. Will my dog eventually get used to being around the cats, or do I seriously have to get rid of my kittens? Is there any other allergy medicine that I can use that is more effective than benedryl?
Telsa Singh - October 31, 2010 2:39 am
I think my 12 month ole dog is allergic to the kitten I rescued a few weeks ago. Since the kitten has been in our house, the dog had developed sores on her body. The dog has sensitive skin anyway and I think the cat has made it worse. She is constanlty scratching, which then makes the sores seep a little bit of blood. I bathe the sores but am worried that the kitten may have to go to a new home. Its a shame because they get on sooo well. Its nice to see them snuggle up on the settee. Any ideas??
Maxine - December 15, 2010 2:39 pm
I was wondering about this myself. We just adopted a kitten for my daughter and now our two dogs, a Chihuahua-datsun mix and a beagle-something mix are both sneezing with watery eyes and sound stuffed up. Both of them have even had occasions where they have trouble breathing. Would allergies cause that? I know the beagle already has allergies and we give him benadryl. So is this just one more thing? I would certainly appreciate any advice.
Kristina - January 3, 2012 9:54 pm